Heat exchanger



1950 F. M. BENNETT 2,517,169

mm sxcwmcm Filed June 27, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS 1950 F. M. BENNETT 2,517,169

HEAT EXCHANGER Filed Juhe 27, 1946 2 Shuts-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

W Frarz/z M Ben/26% ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 1, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiC 279,782 Claims. (Cl. 257-240) The invention relates to a heat exchanger, and more particularly to a device of this character which is adapted for heating or cooling iluids which are passed therethrough.

It is an object of the invention to provide a heat exchanger comprising a fin coil inserted in a light sheet metal, container which in turn is located within an outer shell or container, fluid to be heated or cooled being passed through the outer and inner containers and around the fin coils through which the heating or cooling medium is passed.

Another object is to provide a heat exchanger of this character in which the fin coils are provided with bailies on opposite sides and in staggered relation, spaced so as to direct the flow of the fluid being heated or cooled back and forth through the fins at the velocity necessary for the desired rate of heat transmission.

A further object is to provide such a heat exchanger in which the inlet to the inner container is restricted so that there is more pressure in the outer shell than in the inner container, whereby this pressure holds the four sides of the inner container tightly against the edges of the fins and baiiles causing the 'fiuid to take a zig-zag or tortuous path through the fins and around the coils to the outlet.

A still further object is to provide a heat exchanger oi' the character referred to in which the bailles are in the form of metal sheets folded upon themselves and located over the edge portions of certain of the fins, the inner edges ofthe bailles contacting the coils and the outer edges thereof contacting the walls of the inner shell.

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from the drawings and following description, or which may belater referred to, may be attained by constructing the improved heat exchanger in the manner hereinafter described in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a plan sectional view through a heat exchanger embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 a fragmentary, vertical sectional view of the inlet end portion of the heat exchanger;

Fig. 3 a transverse sectional view taken as on the line 3-4, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 an enlarged detached fragmentary perspective view of a portion of one of the baiiies.

The heat exchanger is housed within an outer shell or container indicated generally at II which may be of cylindrical shape .as shown in the drawings having a head ll welded or otherwise fixed at the outlet end and provided with the outlet opening l2 and the outlet neck is which may be internally screw threaded as at It to receive a discharge pipe for conveying the heated or cooled fluid to any suitable place.

A flange ring l5 may be welded or otherwise fixed to the other end of the cylindrical shell "I for connection to the head I6 as by the bolts II, a gasket l8 being located between the flange ring it and the head IE to provide a fluid tight Joint.

An inner shell or container l9, preferably of rectangular cross sectional shape, is located within the outer shell ill, the corners of the inner shell being tacked or otherwise attached to the inner wall of the cylindrical outer shell It in such manner that fluid may pass around the corners of the inner shell so as to entirely fill the space between the inner and outer shells.

This inner shell I9 is formed of thin sheet metal and is connected at one end to the head II by means of the angular sheet metal strips which may be attached to the shell I9 and the head H by welding, soldering or other suitable means.

The other end of the inner shell 19 is closed by the end wall 2| having the flanges 22 around its edges which may have a sliding flt within the adjacent end of the shell I9.

An inlet 2: is provided at the opposite end of theouter shell ill from the outlet l2 and may be internally threaded as at 24 for the connection of a pipe leading from any suitable source of supply of the fluid to be heated or cooled. Adjacent to the inlet 23 a restricted inlet orifice'25 is formed in the inner shell l9.

A plurality of coils 26, of copper tubing. or the like, are located throughout the interior of the inner shell or container IS, the ends 21 and 28, of the tube being located through the head it and connected to any suitable source of heating or cooling medium, all of the coils 26 being spaced inwardly from the walls of the inner shell or container l9, as shown in the drawings.

Fins 29 are mounted in spaced relation upon the coils 26 each fin being a rectangular sheet of metal of such height as to snugly fit within the inner shell I! and of a length considerably less than the width of the inner shell so that the side edges 30 of the fins are spaced a considerable distance from the side walls of the inner shell.

For. the purpose of providing a tortuous or zig zag path through the fins and around the coils, baflies are mounted upon certain of theflns at spaced point and oppositely staggered.

open edges of the baffle will contact the coils, as

indicated at 34, and the outer closed edgeof the baille will contact the adjacent side wall of the inner shell I9, while the baille is of such height, that the upper and lower ends thereof will.'contact the upper and lower walls of the inner'f mshell IS.

A refrigerant or other cooling medium, or any 7 suitable heating medium, is passed through the coils 26 depending upon whether it is desired to cool or heat fluid passed through the heat exchanger.

Fluid to be heated or cooled is admitted through the inlet 23 filling the space between the inner and outer shells and passing through the restricted orifice 25 to the inner shell, filling the same. i

The inlet orifice to the inner shell being considerably smaller than the inlet 23 to the outer shell produces considerably more pressure within the outer shell than in the inner shell, flexing 5 the th n sheet metal walls or the inner shell is inward holding the four walls of the inner shell tightly against the edges of the fins and batlies so that the fluid is required to take a zig zag or tortuous path back and forth through the fins and around the coils in order to reach the outlet l2, so as to increase the heat exchanging capacity of the device.

If a cooling medium is passed through the coils 28, the multiplicity of fins 29 will be cooled there- 0n the other hand if a heating medium is 40 passed through the coils 26, the multiplicity of fins will be rapidly heated by conduction and will give oil this heat to the fluid passing through the inner container in a tortuous path so that the fluid will be considerably heated by the time it reaches the outlet I2.

I claim:

1. A heat exchanger comprising an outer cylindrical shell, an inner rectangular thin sheet metal shell located within the outer shell the corners of the inner shell being attached to the outer shell in such manner that fluid may pass around said corners so as to entirely fill the space between the inner and outer shells, a series of coils located through the inner shell, means for passing heating or cooling mediums through the coils,

- rectangular imperforate fins upon the coils, two

opposite edges of the flns contacting the adjacent walls of the inner shell, the other two opposite edges of the fins being spaced from the adjacent walls of the inner shell, oppositely staggered baffies mounted upon certain of said last named edges of the fins and contacting the adjacent walls of the inner shell, inlet means near one end of the outer shell, an inlet opening to the inner shell adjacent thereto and being considerably smaller than the inlet to the outer shell and outlet. means at the opposite end of the inner shell, whereby fluid passing through the inner shell is caused to travel in a tortuous path around the coils and through the fins from the inlet to the outlet.

2. A heat exchanger comprising an outer cylindrical shell, an inner rectangular thin sheet metal shell located within the outer shell the 4 corners of the inner shell being attached to the outer shell in such manner that fluid may pass around said corners so as to entirely fill the space between the inner and outer shells, a series of coils located through the inner shell, means for passing heating or cooling mediums through the coils, rectangular, imperforate fins upon the coils,

two opposite edges of the fins contacting the ad- "Jacent walls of the inner shell, the other two opposite edges of the fins being spaced from the ad- .jacent walls of the inner shell, oppositely staggered bailies mounted upon certain of said last named edges 01' the flns and contacting the adjacent walls of the inner shell, each or said ballles comprising a sheet of metal folded upon itself and receiving the adjacent edge portion of a fin in said told, an inlet near one end of the outer shell, an inlet opening to the inner shell adjacent thereto and being considerably smaller than the inlet to the outer shell and outlet means at the opposite end the inner shell, whereby fluid passing through the inner shell is caused to travel in a tortuous path around the coils and through the flns from the inlet to the outlet.

3. A heat exchanger comprising an outer cylindrical shell, an inner rectangular, thin sheet metal shell, located within the outer shell the corners of the inner shell being attached to the outer shell in such manner that fluid may pass around said corners so as to entirely fill the space between the inner and outer shells, a-series of coils located through the inner shell, means for passing heating or cooling mediums through the coils, rectangular sheet metal fins upon the coils, the upper and lower edges oi the flns contacting the top and bottom walls of the inner shell, the side edgesof the flns being spaced from the side walls of the inner shell, oppositely staggered bailles upon the side edges of certain Of the fins and contacting theadlacent side walls of the inner shell, a fluid inlet near one end of the outer shell, a restricted fluid inlet near the adjacent end of the inner shell and an outlet at the other end of the inner container, whereby fluid passing through the outer shell produces pressure upon the walls 01' the inner shell holding the same tightly against the edges of the fins and bailles so that the fluid passing through the inner shell is caused to travel in a tortuous path around the coils and through the fins from the inlet to the outlet of the inner shell.

4. A heat exchanger comprising an outer cylindrical shell, an inner rectangular, thin sheet metal shell, located within the outer shell the corners of the inner shell being attached to the outer shell in such manner that fluid may pass around said corners so as to entirely fill the space between the inner and outer shells, a series of coils located through the inner shell, means for passing heating or cooling mediums through the coils, rectangular sheet metal fins upon the coils, the upper and lower edges of the'flns contacting the top and bottom walls oi the inner shell, the side edges of the fins being spaced from the side walls 01' the inner shell, oppositely staggered baiiles upon the side edges of certain of the fins and contacting the adjacent side walls of the inner shell, each of said baflles comprising a sheet of metal folded upon itself and receiving the adjacent edge portion or a fin in said fold, a fluid inlet near one end of the outer shell, a restricted fluid inlet near the adjacent end of the inner shell and an outlet at the other 'end of the inner container, whereby fluid passing through the outer shell produces pressure upon menses drical shell, an inner thin sheet metal shell, located within the outer shell the corners or the inner shell being attached to the outer shell in such manner that fluid may pass around said corners so as to entirely fill the space between the inner and outer shells, headstorming common end walls for both shells, a eerie! of coils located through the inner shell, means for passing heating or mediums through the coils, rectangular sheet metal fins upon the coils, the upper and'lower edges of the fins con tacting the top and bottom walls 01 theinner shell. the side edges oithe fins being spaced from the side walls of the innershelLoppositel'y stag-i gered bames upon the side edges or certain of the fins and contacting the adjacent side walls of the inner shell. each or said Dames comprising a sheet of metal folded uponitselt and receiving 25 the adjacent edge portion'ot a fin in'said 1old, a fiuid inlet near one end or the outer shell, a

restricted fiuid inlet near the adjacent end of the inner shell and an outletat the other end of the inner container, whereby fluid passing through the outer shell produces pressure upon,

the walls or the inner shell holding the same tightly against the edges of the fins and bames so I that the fiuld passing through the inner shell is caused to travel in a tortuous path around the coils and through the fins from the inlet to the outlet or the inner shell.

- FRANK M. BENNE'I'I'.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 1 Date 1,101,969 still June 30, 1914 1,891,713 Jordan et al. Dec. 20, 1932 2,391,244 Jackson Dec. 18, 1945 2,418,405 Gunter et a1. Apr. .1, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain Jan. 19; 1922 e 

